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A Farm of My Own:  Yikes - first customers coming to my farm!  |
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Georgiaberry Mobley
True Blue Farmgirl
79 Posts
Georgiaberry
Fouke
AR
USA
79 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 07 2007 : 04:40:35 AM
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I am so nervous about the first customers coming to my farm premises! I sell veggies by home delivery, and a determined potential customer outside my delivery area wants to come pick up a bag of veggies. I am just sure they are expecting a more beautiful farm than I can currently provide! Of course alot of this is perfectionism rearing its ugly head. But with pictures it is so easy to just crop out the parts that aren't the prettiest, and "create" an image that I want my customers to think about when they are unpacking their bag of veggies or contemplating their next order. Now we are being confronted with reality.
I plan to devise a route to show them around that sticks to areas that I feel comfortable with, and includes goats and rabbits and vegetable garden.
A few miles away, my grandfather and dad have a pick your own berry farm (www.berryfarm.com) so I have been working with customers on a farm in that capacity, but their farm has been established for decades, and ours is breaking new ground - literally, we are carving away weeds and woods to make a growing area. I guess I shouldn't feel that I have to reach their level of perfection in only a couple of years.
Do any of you have customers come to your farms? How do you handle it?
Farmgirl Georgiaberry
always busy at SunshineForDinner.com
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shawna
True Blue Farmgirl
241 Posts
missouri (north)
241 Posts |
Posted - Dec 07 2007 : 06:28:59 AM
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well, first i would say that i'm sure your customer isn't going to pick apart your farm, people seem to get such a comfort just being on farm land that i think we just don't see any flaws. a lady i know use to have her country bulk store at her house and we would go there every wk. to get goats milk for the baby. i can't tell you how much i enjoyed going there. no matter how hecktic the morning was going, or how bad i just wanted to cry, i always went away feeling HIGH!!! i felt like i could make my dreams come true, and found out i had dreams i never even knew!!! she still has her store but has moved into town. her farm was far from perfect, but it was a dream to me, and always felt like a big hug when i pulled into her drive. (i think i need to tell her how important she has been to me!-again things seem to just come to me out of other peoples lives) have a good day!
xoxxo MERRY CHRISTMAS xoxxo |
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LynnMarie
True Blue Farmgirl
612 Posts
Lynn
Staunton
IL
USA
612 Posts |
Posted - Dec 07 2007 : 06:42:53 AM
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I know how you feel. I've had people come to pick up eggs, chickens, ducks, sheep or goats. This place is far from perfect but everyone leaves thanking me for a tour of the place. They say it is so "wonderful" that they leave feeling good. I think everyone is looking for comforting things and so many people say things like my grandparents had a place like this. Memories, old or new, that is what you give them with a visit. If you feel the need to say something like, please excuse (the mess, stuff, manure lol) we just haven't had time to do (that) with trying to take care of the (gardens, animals, house, kids). People understand busy and that is what they are not looking for when they come to a farm. (If they only knew how busy a farm of any size can be! Right?)
I basically mirrored what shawna just said. LOL
Just Relax!
Bringing the Past Back to Life
www.freewebs.com/decampsettlement |
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MasterGardener
True Blue Farmgirl
572 Posts
Chandra
Louisiana
USA
572 Posts |
Posted - Dec 07 2007 : 07:02:18 AM
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Some friends of mine own an organic farm that provides incredible food for sale to the public; tilapia filets, free range chickens, guineas, turkeys, eggs, vegetables through their CSA, dog food, goat's milk, bread, cereals...I've been privileged and blessed several times to be able to help, working side-by-side with them in their efforts @ organic growing methods, like spreading corn gluten meal on the several acres of vegetable garden & using/laying down the cardboard and leaves for weed barriers/mulch. I've helped them process chickens, milk goats, peel pears for pear butter, the list goes on...my point being that very few people (forgive the generalization) have any idea as to the reality of the work required to run a farm. Sun-up to sun-down EVERY day, and that's still not enough time to get it all done. My hope is that whomever is coming to visit your farm will show SOME appreciation for the amount of work involved and will have the good sense to avoid judging you or your property. It is YOUR farm & the good Lord above knows you've probably earned it 10X's over with the work you've done on it. Sorry if that sounds like a rant...
.• ´¨¨)) -:¦:-¸.•´ .•´¨¨))
((¸¸.•´ ..• -:¦:- -:¦:- Chandra
-:¦:- ((¸¸.•´Farmgirl Sister #64
She considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
Proverbs 31:16 |
Edited by - MasterGardener on Dec 07 2007 12:30:45 PM |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Dec 07 2007 : 07:06:03 AM
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I would think folks would just be happy to see a WORKING farm. I know I am--unless you've got junked out rusted cars and old refrigerators and stuff all over, it's a place of business, and everything is left to the elements, so it's not going to be picture perfect all the time. I think the key words are "working farm"...I'd be thrilled to even get close to one!
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
Posted - Dec 07 2007 : 07:06:08 AM
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Hi Georgiaberry!
Well, I don't know how helpful this is, since I actually DON'T own a farm, but I can tell you the perspective of the person going to the farm--I've gone to a few for several reasons, and each time, I could appreciate each farm for what it was..alot of them have their "rough spots" ..I mean, there are animals, there is mud, and manure...there are smells...and I think most people coming to a farm know this too, and understand, and this is actually part of the reason they come--they "get it". I know of some people who "wouldn't touch a farm" to save their lives--they can't be bothered by the smells, noises, etc because they think it's a bit "beneath" them, but that's ok, they won't worry you with that.
I think if someone wants to visit, they don't necessarily have this preconceived notion of what goes on, I think you are worrying too much, and I'm with Lynne--sometimes a simple explaination of "we're breaking ground" is good enough, you're a farm, not a four star hotel. Life is messy and sometimes the messy is good...means you've got alot of projects going!
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
www.bigtownfarmer.com
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Georgiaberry Mobley
True Blue Farmgirl
79 Posts
Georgiaberry
Fouke
AR
USA
79 Posts |
Posted - Dec 07 2007 : 6:54:54 PM
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I sure appreciate all the good advice. We've made a firm time for the visit (Monday afternoon) so on Tuesday I'll let everyone know how it went. Between now and then is plenty of time to obsess! I am going to try to put up the Xmas tree instead. Wish me luck!
Farmgirl Georgiaberry
always busy at SunshineForDinner.com
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Dec 07 2007 : 8:58:40 PM
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My pat answer to stuff that needs to be done..."It's on the list"!
I wouldn't worry Georgiaberry. Farms are worksites and folks know that it is always a work in progress. You could always tell people what your future plans are, but I would do it more as a topic of conversation than an apology.
I have people come here in a constant stream year around and I really try to make this little farm a happy place. I find 90% of the people that come here are just so happy to be here and I have even had some ask if they could pitch a tent! Mostly, people are just happy and thankful for the experience and are very accepting of work in progress...some might even be excited about the new berry patch that you have planned.
One thing that does come to mind though...do you have liability insurance for people coming to your farm? It's something to think about if you don't. I have $2M just because I'm so paranoid lol.
Di
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miss wilma
True Blue Farmgirl
3410 Posts
Wilma
Knob Lick
Ky
USA
3410 Posts |
Posted - Dec 07 2007 : 9:37:16 PM
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You know I look at it like this I own this land, I also had to put alot of hard labor into paying for it,I had much rather be doing things I like to do, have you ever noticed people that keep a septic house never accomplish anything. If my leaves get raked fine if they dont thats fine to, I dont have to worry about food here the freezer and jars are full, so if some stray stick your nose in the air comes around they can go to thunder.If most people like that were sold for what they think they are worth--- well they wouldnt bring very much . so you just hang in there girl, your working and that is what matters, Miss Wilma
I am a farm girl married to a sewing machine
http://misswilma.blogspot.com/ |
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debinmtns
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Debi
Hope
Idaho
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2007 : 11:09:01 AM
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I think thats beautifully put and too the point. I see we think, alot alike. I like to add doing everything with love, understanding, gratitude, is very important.
debinmtns farmgirl #63
Have a Thankfulness Gratitude Attitude.
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Georgiaberry Mobley
True Blue Farmgirl
79 Posts
Georgiaberry
Fouke
AR
USA
79 Posts |
Posted - Dec 10 2007 : 5:52:38 PM
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So here's what happened - I did do a little work tidying around the front door - a catch all area for leftover annuals that I am always "going to" plant, and I moved some things around in the refrigeration area to make it more accessible and look nicer. And we spent the weekend building a fort with a slide for the kids for xmas and I spent alot of time enjoying the view of the garden and trees etc, and thinking that this isn't bad at all. Anyone would enjoy visiting here. So I felt good about the visit.
This morning the tire blew out on my car and I was delayed about 4 hours making my deliveries and I had to go in hubby's huge truck, get new tire, etc. Finally made it home and hurried to get eggs together for her, waiting impatiently - you guessed it by now, I'm sure. She never showed. So alot of stress and a lovely bag of cleaned packed vegetables and eggs and no $25.00.
However, I made some valuable discoveries preparing for this, the most being the realization that our farm makes very little mess/disorder, but our landscaping business produces staggering amounts of crap! The plastic waste from the annual flower industry is shameful! We decided to return a lot of our trays and tree pots to our wholesale supplier for credit, and I am seeing the value of a soil block maker - no six packs to dispose. If only they were made of cornstarch maybe we could feed them to pigs, hmmmm. The growers won't reuse them because they can't be effectively cleaned and they can harbor all kinds of disease. So they are a one use item, except for the comparatively few that we bleach and reuse to start seeds. Alright, I know, more than anyone ever wanted to know about landscaping waste disposal problems!
But I did identify the area that needs work and make a plan of attack and that is good. And I took to heart the advice I heard here, so thanks. Liability insurance - I shudder to think that I will have to face this. Someday. For now I am sticking to my deliveries. No more on farm pick up unless pre paid. Or u-pick veggies? I'd better not start scheming again, that is how I got into this mess to begin with! lol
Farmgirl Georgiaberry
always busy at SunshineForDinner.com
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Dixie_Amazon
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Dennise
Baton Rouge
LA
USA
125 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2007 : 02:37:26 AM
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I am sorry they didn't show without even a phone call, that is just tacky. At least it was a learning and idea generating experience!
Dennise with 2 n's
Farmgirl Sister #47 **~~** Country girl raised in the city. |
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LynnMarie
True Blue Farmgirl
612 Posts
Lynn
Staunton
IL
USA
612 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2007 : 06:26:10 AM
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What a bummer!  I've had the same thing happen to me. Don't know about you, but it made me feel like they thought I had nothing to do all day but sit and wait for them. Like the "farm" took care of itself. Of course, I didn't want to wear my "farm work clothes" if I had a guest coming and of course I couldn't work in my good jeans! lol
I agree with Dixie_Amazon; use what you can from the experience and throw the rest away.
Bringing the Past Back to Life
www.freewebs.com/decampsettlement |
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BamaSuzy
True Blue Farmgirl
138 Posts
Alabama
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2007 : 05:06:11 AM
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People have been coming to my little farm close to three years now, first to buy "farm fresh eggs from happy chickens" and for about the last year and a half to my little farm store for everything from goat milk soap to herbal products to lap quilts and jellies!
And man! My farm is usually a mess! I try to keep everything looking halfway neat but I am just one little gray-haired 55 year old woman!!!! BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME are just so tickled to be at a REAL FARM that they ignore the mud or the chicken "mess" tracked onto the carport!
They pet the goats over the fence and see the chickens and ducks running free range and they are just delighted! The older folks talk about growing up on a farm (with wistful looks in their eyes!) and the kids just love to be able to run run run free and to pet all the animals!
I am making a little sign that says something to the effect that "this is a working farm," and explains that animals are messy at times and that things can't be perfect because this is a WORKING farm....as long as they see that I am SUPER CLEAN when making my jams and jellies and that the eggs are clean and neat, they don't mind the other stuff!
Some of my fencing looks really bad but like I said, folks don't seem to mind!
best wishes!!!!
You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt! |
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A Farm of My Own: Yikes - first customers coming to my farm! |
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Yikes - first customers coming to my farm!
